By Adam S. Levy - Breaking Celebrity News Staff Writer

After his epic promo went viral and set Twitter abuzz, WWE champion CM Punk emerged as pro wrestling’s biggest star last summer; what you might not have known is that the Chicago-made grappler was nearly handed his walking papers -- twice -- but saved by a faithful behind-the-scenes backer: Tommy Dreamer.

“He had little-to-no chance of ever making it in the WWE -- he wasn't their type of guy,” Dreamer, who moonlit between the ring and the WWE front office during his decade-long tenure with the company, told Breaking Celebrity News exclusively about Punk, whose 6-foot-2, 235-pound frame is a far cry from the bodybuilding look synonymous with wrestling heroes like Triple H, John Cena and, in his heyday, Hulk Hogan.